The most important main character in this book is Henry Dorsett Case, refered to as just Case most of the time. There is very little physical desription of him. At the beginning of the book he is sort of a criminal middle-man, obtaining objects for his employers. This job is similar to what he did before, when he was a jockey, a cowboy, a hacker, call it whatever. He would jack into the Matrix and procure information for his employers. Case was one of the best jockeys around until he decided to steal from his then employer, resulting in them giving him a Russian Mycotoxin to burn out his nervous system, so he couldn't jack into the Matrix. He fell into a bought of drug use and depression. He then becomes the middle-man at the beggining of the book, taking more and more dangerous jobs, and drugs, almost as if he is trying to die.
Then he is found by Molly Millions, another important character. She is described as a street samurai, sort of like a hired hand, the muscle. Her eyes have been covered by mirrored insets, enhancing her vision. Underneath her fingernails are four centimeter razor blades as well. She was contracted by a man named Armitage for a special job, for which they need Case's hacking skills. After she captures him, Armitage gives Case a chance to have his nervouse system fixed, if he'll work for him. Case accepts, desperate for a chance to get back into cyberspace, regardless of what he has to do.
After the surgery, it is revealed that Armitage planted slowly dissolving sacs of the same Russian Mycotoxin as mentioned earlier into Case's bloodstream, forcing Case to do what he wants so Armitage will remove them when the job is over. It's revealed that Armitage is actually just a sort of puppet, for the AI Wintermute. WM wants Case and Molly's help in freeing itself from it's programming bonds, so that it can merge with the Matrix itself.
Case and Molly make their way up to the space station Freeside, where Wintermute is located. They bring with them the psycotic illusionist Riviera. While there, Case gets hold of a drug that can bypass the blocks put in his system by Armitage to make it impossible to get high. He uses this several times, always regretting the low it gives him afterward.
When inside the building housing Wintermute, they meet 3Jane, the leader of the building, her cloned ninja side-kick, and Riviera, who has switched sides. 3Jane sympathizes and sends her ninja after Riviera. They end up freeing Wintermute, who tells them it has decoded transmission from far out in space from another artificial intelligence.
Then he is found by Molly Millions, another important character. She is described as a street samurai, sort of like a hired hand, the muscle. Her eyes have been covered by mirrored insets, enhancing her vision. Underneath her fingernails are four centimeter razor blades as well. She was contracted by a man named Armitage for a special job, for which they need Case's hacking skills. After she captures him, Armitage gives Case a chance to have his nervouse system fixed, if he'll work for him. Case accepts, desperate for a chance to get back into cyberspace, regardless of what he has to do.
After the surgery, it is revealed that Armitage planted slowly dissolving sacs of the same Russian Mycotoxin as mentioned earlier into Case's bloodstream, forcing Case to do what he wants so Armitage will remove them when the job is over. It's revealed that Armitage is actually just a sort of puppet, for the AI Wintermute. WM wants Case and Molly's help in freeing itself from it's programming bonds, so that it can merge with the Matrix itself.
Case and Molly make their way up to the space station Freeside, where Wintermute is located. They bring with them the psycotic illusionist Riviera. While there, Case gets hold of a drug that can bypass the blocks put in his system by Armitage to make it impossible to get high. He uses this several times, always regretting the low it gives him afterward.
When inside the building housing Wintermute, they meet 3Jane, the leader of the building, her cloned ninja side-kick, and Riviera, who has switched sides. 3Jane sympathizes and sends her ninja after Riviera. They end up freeing Wintermute, who tells them it has decoded transmission from far out in space from another artificial intelligence.